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Pasco police had tried to stop a white pickup truck for a traffic violation near 5th Avenue and Sylvester Street shortly after 5 p.m., but the driver raced off, police said.

The officers followed the truck for a few blocks but then stopped following the pickup for public safety reasons.

The driver, described as Hispanic, possibly in his 20s, 5-foot-8, wearing a dark shirt and possibly blue jeans, continued west on Sylvester Street.

A few minutes later, witnesses called 911 saying the truck had hit a car at Road 36 and Sylvester.

The car was left mangled, with the entire passenger’s side caved in. It landed on a sidewalk, partially in the front yard of a house.

The right, front end of the pickup was heavily damaged. Police say no officers saw the crash.

Pasco police are handling the criminal investigation with the help of the Washington State Patrol.

This is the second fatal hit and run in the Tri-Cities in a little more than a month. Michael P. Robinson, 58, was walking across Columbia Center Boulevard in Kennewick on Feb. 22 when he was struck and killed and the driver didn’t stop.

A $1,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest in the case.

Anyone with information about Thursday’s crash or the suspect’s whereabouts is asked to call the Franklin County non-emergency line at 509-545-3510.

To report information in the crash the killed Robinson call Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers at 509-586-TIPS or 800 -222-TIPS.